ELA LESSON PLAN

OVERVIEW
Lesson Title:Career Exploration / Unit Title: College and Career Exploration
Lesson #: 2 / CCRSand GLE Range:GLE 6-8, D / Class Level: Intermediate
Length of Lesson in # of Hours: 1.5-2 hours # of Classes: 1 / Teacher(s):
STAGE 1 – PLANNING for DESIRED RESULTS
LESSONOBJECTIVES
Lesson rationale:Students need to be able to identify how their personal skills and interests can connect directly with a career. There are thousands of career choices. Students will be able to research the variety of careers (e.g., trauma nurse or civil engineering) that fall under a specific career sector (e.g., nursing or engineering). This lesson is designed for students to gather information online about a specific career to help them learn if the career is something they want to pursue. This is a self-exploration activity that builds research skills and technical reading skills (e.g., scanning, note taking and summarizing). After gathering research, students will create a poster presentation and present their career to the class and a panel of community members.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Academic Skills
  • collect and gather research and supporting evidence
  • scan, note take and summarize
  • navigate technology
  • prepare and give an oral presentation
  • develop vocabulary
Critical Thinking
  • evaluate evidence
  • analyze texts

CCR LEVEL-SPECIFIC STANDARDS THAT SUPPORT AND ALIGN WITH THE LESSON OBJECTIVES / KEY INSTRUCTIONAL SHIFTS
addressed in this lesson
SL.D.4
W.D.7, W.D.8
R.D.7
L.D.6 / X / Practice with complex text and its academic language
Ground reading, writing, and speaking in evidence from literary and informational texts
X / Build knowledge through content-rich nonfiction
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)
What makes a career enjoyable?
How can I become passionate for my career?
Is it really possible to make a living from a passion or a hobby?
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE NEEDED
Students have worked with their career advisor on defining their skills and interests. Prior to the interest profiler the career advisor has helped students understand the core vocabulary: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional by providing hands-on activities (e.g., matching, survey). In addition to vocabulary development, students have completed the O*Net Interest Profiler (O*Net Interest Profiler). The O*Net Interest Profiler provided students with information about their interests and how these interests relate to “the world of work.” Students will use the interest profiler results to help them choose and research a career. Ss developed career questions with their career advisor. Ss chose the information that they most wanted answers.
STAGE 2 – EVIDENCE of LEARNING
Ways that students and I will know the extent to which objectives have been met:
  • note taking
  • individual and small group work/discussions
  • completion of the career research chart
  • poster presentation

STAGE 3 -- ACTION
Introduction (15 minutes):
Teacher (T) explains to students (Ss) that they will research careers relevant to their skills and interests. T opens with a video giving the Top 10 highest paying odd jobs: Top 10 Odd Jobs. After the video-T has Ss talk with a partner about their hobby or passion. Could this turn into their dream job too? T closes with collecting a list of careers that Ss are interested in on WB. This way Ss can support each other throughout their research.
Career Exploration Modeling (25 minutes) :
  • T projects a picture of an EMT/Paramedic. T asks Ss Q, “Who is this?” T elicits. T writes on WB. T asks Ss Q, “What do they do?” T elicits. T writes on WB. T asks Ss Q, “What resource(s) can we use to gather evidence about an EMT/Paramedic?” T elicits. T writes on WB. T goes to one suggested site: bls.gov; O*Net; career database through college library
  • T explains that Ss will use the websites and the career chart to gather evidence about their career. The overall assessment will be a career poster presentation.
  • Prior to completing the chart, T reviews the career questions Ss created. If necessary, T negotiates understanding. T explains that Ss will use these questions to gather evidence about their career.
  • T walks through the career chart. To make the modeling participatory, T asks Ss Q, “Where can we find the information?” T does this with each topic. Ss summarize the answers in their own words. T inputs the information. T will give the completed chart to Ss as a reference.
  • After modeling, T negotiates understanding. Ss then move into individual research work.
Individual Research (45 minutes):
  • Ss work individually.
  • Ss research their career online. Ss use the career chart to take notes and document their resources.
  • T walks around to support and assess understanding.

Closing Written Reflection (20 minutes): To close, Ss complete a writing reflection:
  • What are you most passionate about?
  • Why is this career important to you?
  • How will this career help you with additional personal and professional goals?
Key vocabulary:
  • realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional
  • additional vocabulary will be chosen by students and added to their personal vocabulary lists and the class vocabulary list

Materials: Career Research Chart, Career Presentation Expectations, Career Unit Questions
Resources:
O*Net Interest Profiler (
Top 10 Odd Jobs (
O*Net EMT (
BLS-EMT (
STCC-EMT (
POST-TEACHING REFLECTION -- To be determined after lesson is conducted.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary Education, Adult and Community Learning Services, and the SABES PD Center for ELA, 20161